Job Description

The Community Independence Service (CIS) is a developing intermediate care service. Our Home First pathway enables timely discharge from hospital to home, supported by a diverse multi-professional team, with the aim of delivering high-quality care in patients' own homes.



We are seeking an experienced Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist who is passionate about delivering exceptional patient care and thrives in a collaborative team environment. This bi-borough role supports our Home First pathway across Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea for a period of 7 months to cover a Maternity absence.



The role is suited to someone who works creatively beyond traditional practice boundaries, with strong leadership skills to contribute to service delivery and support the wider multi-disciplinary team.



The successful candidate will work across both bases with support from the Borough Leads, Head of Service, and Clinical Lead. The post holder will be jointly accountable to two managers and benefit from their guidance.



We are committed to professional development, offering regular supervision, Personal Development Reviews, and opportunities to engage in service and quality improvement projects.



We provide excellent development prospects within a supportive and forward-thinking team.



This is a highly skilled clinical role requiring the post holder to manage clinical risk within a fast-paced community environment.



The post holder will provide leadership of the bi-borough Home First clinical pathway , with direct line management responsibility for clinicians (therapists and healthcare assistants) within the pathway, as well as professional responsibility for senior clinicians of their own discipline across the wider service where required.



They will ensure that all staff within the pathway deliver safe and effective assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care in line with professional and organisational quality standards.



The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that the team has adequate therapy and care staff rostered on duty with the appropriate skills to safely meet the needs of patients. They will undertake direct clinical work for an agreed proportion of their time, undertaking a complex clinical caseload and act as a role model for excellence in clinical care provision while providing clear professional clinical leadership.



The service operates 08:00 - 20:00, seven days per week , and the post holder will contribute to maintaining high standards of patient care throughout these hours.



The bi-borough Home First Pathway prides itself on experienced clinicians and strong teamwork, supported by a positive culture of shared lunches, celebrations, and staff recognition. This is reinforced by the many compliments we receive from service users and partner organisations.

Essential requirements:

High level of clinical and managerial leadership



Excellent communication, clinical knowledge, and assessment skills



Current NMC/HCPC registration



Reliability and strong work ethic

In return, we offer:

A supportive environment to learn and develop new skills



Opportunities to work with a Consultant Geriatrician and extend knowledge beyond standard practice



Regular statutory and mandatory training



Emphasis on work-life balance



Opportunities to deliver training sessions



Full NHS benefits package, plus lease car option



This is a demanding, specialist post. We recommend contacting us for an informal discussion or visiting one of our teams before applying.



As this role may involve direct contact with patients, as a NHS Trust we strongly encourage vaccination to protect yourself, your colleagues, and the people we care for.



To have overall responsibility for the safe and effective delivery of care to patients accepted into the service.



Establish effective communication links with community colleagues providing planned care and specialist disease specific care, supporting integrated working to manage smooth hand over of care.



To manage budgets effectively to own delegated level, actively participating in organisational and divisional budget monitoring arrangements.



Be responsible for maintaining safe staffing levels in the service pathway, by monitoring rostering arrangements, minimising vacancies and leading on timely recruitment and selection processes.



To ensure that all new staff in the pathway have a comprehensive induction and orientation to the service and that all staff have on-going personal development programmes.



Manage the governance of the teams covering the investigation of complaints and incidents to ensure lessons learnt are shared and implemented.



Manage the workforce planning in the teams, managing recruitment and selection of personnel and ongoing performance management including appraisals and objective setting.



To manage the clinical performance of staff they directly line manage, ensuring that their interventions are commensurate with the required competency



Responsible, with line management support for ensuring that the service pathway meets all Key Performance Indicators, CQUINS, and QIPP requirements.



To develop and implement recovery plans should these be required, reporting progress to the senior management team.



Take responsibility for plans/projects/programmes for own service area as delegated.



To be responsible for maintaining and developing high performance in the clinical pathway by managing staff absence, performance and conduct in accordance with HR policy and good people management practices.



Ensure that sickness absence information is recorded on a monthly basis via Trust absence reporting system in place.



To instigate a schedule of minuted weekly staff meetings to ensure effective team communication, clinical excellence and staff support.



Manage, analyse and interpret data associated with the team and make suggestions for improvements based on reported statistics and facts.



To provide rapid and effective support to staff in order to solve problems, handle informal patient feedback and to convey difficult or contentious information in a sensitive and skilled manner



To communicate service information when required to own staff, management team and external agencies in an effective and professional manner.



To represent own service area at relevant internal and external meetings in a professional and positive manner.



To occasionally provide high quality clinical leadership and support to staff outside of own pathway where required.



To undertake management duties in line with Trust values - Compassion, Respect Empowerment, Partnership.